A number of black students at Harvard University have taken part in a project called “I, Too, Am Harvard” seeking to share experiences in academia and in life that have left them feeling misunderstood, ignored and often insulted.

At the center of the campaign is a series of photographs of students, many displaying written messages ranging from quotes of civil rights leaders to personal thoughts. Most eye-catching and perhaps cringe-worthy among the messages are those recalling comments students say were directed at them, including “I don’t even think of you as black,” and “Can you read?”

For decades many Black students have talked about difficulties blending into college, and often say the problems are rooted in part in misconceptions of other students and faculty.

According to the “I, Too, Am Harvard” website, “Our voices often go unheard on this campus, our experiences are devalued, our presence is questioned– this project is our way of speaking back, of claiming this campus, of standing up to say: ‘We are here. This place is ours. We, TOO, are Harvard.’”

The project premieres tonight as a play presented by the Kuumba Singers, a performance company at Harvard. The performance begins at 7 p.m. in Lowell Lecture Hall on the campus of Harvard College. It is part of the 16th Annual Dr. Walter J. Leonard Black Arts Festival.

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